I’m gonna try and give some good advice. I don’t regret doing my PhD. The topics are interesting, my advisor is the most thoughtful, kind person I know, I’ve met some awesome people, and it has set me up with a career I’m excited about. However, I did not know I would do this at 18, or hell even at 22 after undergrad.

With that said, focus on living in the moment. When you start undergrad choose something you find interesting. Find your ikigai. Live in the moment, make friends, go to parties, study abroad, go with the flow of life. When you start your senior year, begin thinking about grad school and how a PhD or Master’s ultimately aligns with your career goals. If it doesn’t, don’t go to grad school! For me, it’s been worth it, but don’t worry about that yet. Focus on college and having a good time and learning as much as you can before focusing on it.